Yarn package



May 22 1951 H. agcnoss, JR 2,553,633

YARN PACKAGE Filed sept 2o, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Henry @059/2 1 3 Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YARN PACKAGE Henry B. Cross, Jr., West Orange, N. J.

Application September 20, 1948, Serial No. 50,227

9 Claims.

This invention relates to packages of yarns or threads and more particularly to such packages for use in knitting, crocheting, tatting and the like.

rIhe invention has particular application to packages of yarn o-r thread which are wound in a form similar to a cop or ball as a continuousstrand of limited or predetermined length. Knitting and crocheting yarns connnonly are prepared for use in the form of soft skeins or hanks from which tne yarn may be wound in a ball in order that the yarn may be drawn therefrom conveniently and without tangling as the knitting or crocheting proceeds. It has been proposed heretofore also to prepare such yarns in the form sometimes referred to as pull skeins in which the strand is wound in a plurality of superposed layers with the inner end projecting from the package. The outer end is fastened upon the circumference of the package and the yarn as it is used is withdrawn at the inner end of the strand. Such a package is described in the patent to L. J. Barry No. 1,592,432, July 13, 1926. In this and similar packages prepared for knitting or similar operations the package has the soft and flexible character of the ordinary skein or hank of yarn.

In the preparation of such yarns for sale the skeins have been assembled in kits with supporting means of different types, in some cases in cardboard holders. In other cases so-oalled bobbins are provided in the kits on which the knitter may wind the yarn from the skeins. The leng h of the strand on each bobbin may be limited to that required for knitting a block or a plurality of blocks or fractie. s thereoi of a yarn of given color or other characteristic in a predetermined pattern in the fabric. For knitting Wool socks, sweaters and other garments with Argyle patterns, for example, the amount of yarn wound on each bobbin is small, the length of the strand ordinarily used Va ying between a few yards and l or 20 yards. Although greater lengths or the strand couid be used in knitting many pagtorns, ordinarily longer lengths would make necessary packages of the yarn of a size and bulk which would cause inconvenience and interference in the hands of the knitter.

Such packages and the devices for holding them as heretofor used involve the winding of the reo 1ed length of yarn on the bobbin which me, be of cardboard or of piastic or other mateu rial froviding the requisite stiffness to hold the in place thereon. In the knitting ci Argyle patterns these bobbins become suspended from 2 the fabric by looping a part of the end of the strand which has been knitted into the fabric about the bobbin or catching it on a notch in the bobbin. A plurality of such bobbins of the different colors of yarn used for the patternv are thus suspended from the fabric. The knitter picks up the bobbin and releases and unwinds from the bobbin such a length oiE the strand as is suitable for knitting the portion of the color in a row or other part of the color block as required for forming the pattern. It will be apparent that the use of bobbins requires that the knitter shall thus unwind the strand for each of the colors being knitted. rThe plurality of "bobbins are additional to the weight of the yarn which must be suspended from the fabric in the hands of the knitter. Since they must have substantial dimensions the bobbins frequently interfere one with the other and with the selection of the proper bobbin from which the yarn of the requisite color and located in proper relation to the color block being knitted is to be unwound. The bobbins and the packing thereci increase the cost of preparation of the kit and require the time of the knitter for the Winding operation, the yarn being thereby subjected to an additional handling operation.

lt is an object of the invention to provide a yarn package which without the use of bobbins or other holders is suspensible by the inner end of the strand.

It is another object of the invention to provide a yarn package containing the required length of strand for knitting or otherwise forming predetermined patterns which requires no supporting means or bobbin and which may be suspended directly from the fabric being produced While providing also for easy withdrawal of the yarn as required.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a self supporting self suspending yarn package which has substantial resistance to ilexure and elongation or other distortion.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a self supporting and self suspensible yarn package for knitting or otherwise forming patterns of predetermined size in the fabric which retains its form Without collapsing throughout the Withdr wal of a greater part or substantially all of the length of the strand contained therein.

It is a feature of the yarn package of the invention that a continuous strand of the yarn is wound in a plurality of layers superposed one upon the other, these layers pressing inwardly upon each other and upon the portion of strand adjacent the inner end thereof, that is the end ci the strand at which the winding of the package is started. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the yarn package is in the form o a cartridge generally cylindrical with the superposed layers in contact with the inner end portion of the strand which extends generally along the axis of the cartridge. In the winding of the cartridge the operation is carried out without the use of a supporting tube, pirn or similar conventional supporting member so that as the winding starts and proceeds the layers are immediately Wound upon and in contact with the inner end portion of the strand, these layers building up one upon the other until the requisite diameter of the package is obtained.

The package of preferred form may be wound on a Universal wind-er Well known in the art to lay the strand substantially uniformly as a helix with the wraps of the strand in successive traverse of the thread guide in immediately juxtaposed relation to produce a uniform lay and a cylindrical form of the cartridge. In winding the cartridge of the invention the end may be fastened or wrapped directly upon the spindle of the Universal Winder. The length of traverse of the thread guide of the Winder with respect to the number of revolutions of the spindle ordinarily is maintained constant throughout the winding ci the cartridge. As is usual in the winding of a package on a Universal Winder the traverse over the length of the package is made during only a few revolutions of the spindle as will be understood from the drawings and the description of the invention which follows. The number of turns of the spindle may be of the degree of 2 to 4 during the traverse in one direction along the spindle. Successive wraps of the strand are laid in juxtaposition by virtue of the creep or gainage in the relation between the revolutions of the spindle and the operation of the traverse mechanism of the Universal Winder, a slight additive or subtractive relation of the revolutions of the spindle to the linear movement of the thread guide being provided for and being adjustable to suit the different sizes of yarn being Wound.

The invention provides a cartridge in which the strand of yarn is wound in this manner under substantial tension to produce the pressure of the superposed layers inwardly upon each other and upon the internal end portion of the strand. Initially and throughout a substantial part of the length of the strand contained in the package these superposed layers will press upon and grip this internal end portion as it is being withdrawn from the package and this gripping action is suiicient to make the cartridge suspensible by the internal end projecting from the cartridge at the axis thereof. Ordinarily yarns of worsted, cotton, nylon or other materials which are used in knitting and similar operations are capable of being wound on a Universal Winder with a moderate tension without damage thereto either as to the strength of the yarn or undesirable change in its properties which provide the desired texture, feel and other characteristics in the fabric.

It has been found in accordance with the invention that worsted knitting yarn, for example, may be wound in a cartridge without a supporting core member and Without a void at the axis of the cartridge With a tension which produces a cornpactness of the layers such that the gripping of the internal end by the superposed layers makes the cartridge suspensible by its internal end.

Initially and throughout a major portion of the length or" the strand in the cartridge, as the inner end is Withdrawn from the cartridge, because oi the resilience o worsted knitting yarns, the in- Ward pressure and the gripping of the internal end continues until the Weight of the cartridge has been greatly reduced. The package thus continues to be suspensible. Moreover, even after the major central portion of the strand has been Withdrawn from the cartridge, the pressure between the layers which has been produced in the winding of the yarn under tension serves to maintain such a degree or" clinging contact of the remaining layers which are now of much reduced weight as to continue the suspensibility of the cartridge substantially until all of the strand is Withdrawn from the cartridge. The uniform lay of the strand in the cartridge and the juxtaposition of the successive wraps of the strand wound. on the Universal Winder enhances this contact so that the suspensibility by the internal end continues for a cartridge of substantial size suitable, for example, for knitting Argyle patterns and the like.

The yarn package or cartridge of the invention thus formed Without auxiliary supporting means or bobbin has a smooth exterior surface and there are no projections or edges such as are found in conventional bobbins, which may catch in the yarns or in the fabric being knitted. Because of its compactness, the cartridge during withdrawal of the major portion of the strand therefrom has a considerable resistance to deformation, both bending and crushing, and to elongation. A plurality of such cartridges, therefore, may be suspended from the fabric in the requisite manner with such a length of the strand between the fabric and each cartridge as is convenient for the knitter. Because of the smooth, relatively long form o the cartridge of limited diameter and also because only the minimum cartridge and the fabric need be pulled out from length of the strand to extend between the the cartridge, tangling of the different suspending strands and interference of the cartridge one with the other in the handling of the work piece in the knitting operation are minimized or entirely avoided. The continued gripping of the layers o the strand in the cartridge upon each other and upon the inner end portion or the strand enables this length suspending the cartridge to be adjusted by pulling out the strand to just the length required.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the description of the drawing to follow in which:

Fig. l shows in elevation the cartridge of the invention wound on a Universal Winder; and

Fig. 2 shows a top end View of the cartridge of Fig. 1.

In Fig. l the cartridge l of cylindrical form is shown with a strand of yarn 3 wound in helices thereon. In the particular embodiment of Fig. l four wraps 5, l, 9 and ll of the strand corresponding to three revolutions of the spindle are provided in the length of the cartridge. In the Universal wind the gainage or creep provided for in the drive between the spindle and the traverse mechanism of the thread guide insures that the successive wraps i3, l5, Il and I9 are laid immediately adjacent the wraps 5, l, e and Il. Depending on the size of the yarn a greater or less number of such successive Wraps will be required to fill out the spaces between the wraps 5 and l,

between the wraps l and 9 and between the wraps .antenas Band .I.I. .Inany case itzisa characteristic ofthe Universal Windthat .these spaces :are `uniformly andrcloselyiilled'with .thegsuccessive wraps so that there are no humps .or ridges due :to superposed .cr .crossed wraps 'and a substantially uniform .cylindrical cartridge .is produced.

lThe invention utilizes these features vof -the Universal Wind to insure conditions vwhich are favorable to securing the compactness -oi .the package :and .the `inwardly :acting pressure fand gripping of the standadjacent the internal .end 2| which projects .from the upper end 'of .the .cartridge l. While in starting the AWinding .this

inner end is wrapped about the 'spindle .of the Universal Winder it `will be Yunderstood after the ir cartridge is removed Afrom the spindle lthat the endf2l may be pulled outislightly 'and the .portion .2.3 thereof will .be positioned as .shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, that is, initially :substantially straight along and at the axis of the cartridge I. The tension maintained vupon the fstrand 3 throughout the winding .of fthe fcartridge is such .that the superposed layers yof `.thestrandrpress kinwardly upon the subjacent layers and .upon :the

internal .end portion Y23 toeffect gripping of this i. end portion .so that the cartridge I may :be suspended `by vthe end 2l as this end 'of the Vstrandis withdrawn 'from the cartridge and knitted into the fabric.

Strands of 'worsted and other yarns have a substantial resilience when placed under tension which restores thefstrand when released from the tension to its original length. ln winding such yarns .in the cartridges of the invention :advantage is taken -of this characteristic to continue i the requisite .pressure of the superposed layers one upon the other and upon the internal end .'23 which :has been ygenerally referred to above. In Vother words, as the core portion .of the cartridge is removed the strand of the superposed layers contacts and squeezes dow-n upon vthe inner end portion of the strand. This squeezing action will vcontinue throughout the major portion of the length of the strand in the cartridge. Because'of the characteristic of textile yarns made from bre, such as wool, cotton and the like, from which bre ends Aalong the strand project .somewhat there is a Vstrong tendency of the .yarn Vas wound in the cartridge for these fibre ends to entangle with the adjacent layers or with the adjacent wraps of the strand in the cartridge. This entangling contact serves to continue the suspension of the cartridge which is of much decreased weight when the core portion has :been withdrawn until substantially all of the strand is withdrawn from the cartridge.

According to the invention it has been found that the tension under which worsted knitting yarns may be wound in a cartridge suitable for Argyle patterns may 'be such that the :compactness or density of the cartridge is substantially in the range between 90 and 14!) grains avoirdupois per cubic inch. Preferably for such worsted knitting yarns the compactness may -be within the range between 129 and 130 grains per cubic inch.

The weight of the cartridge suitable for Argyle patterns preferably is not substantially greater than 145 grains. As a practical limit the minimum weight of the cartridge will -be not substantially less than l0 grains. If a cartridge Within these weight limits is Wound with a -cornpactness in the range above given, the cartridge will be suspensible by the inner end of the strand.

The diameter of such a cartridge suitable for CartridgeNc. We'ight Diameter Length Density Gr. In. In.

The compactness or density is 4found bythe .following `formula No. Vof grains .in vcartridge l7851i d2 l 0274 l "d==dia. 'of cartridge Zrllength of cartridge .0274X Z=cubic content 'of vspindle -havinga diameter o`f ls inch.

The weights and measurements in the'table were taken at 177 and -71% relative humidity.

VIn winding cartridges of worst'ed knitting yarn ofthe form above .described on 'a Universal Winder., .a `spindle having a diameter of between sie inch and alz- 'inch may vbe used. While as small a spindle .as possible is desirable, to 'reduce the void which must be 'closed by the squeeze of the 'superposed layers., and when the spindle Vis made of .special steels Ithe requisite sti'ilness may be secured With a smaller diameter, it 'is necessary or .desirable toavoid such ilexure vof `the spindle 'as will produce whipping during the Winding operation .and therefore uneven lay of the yarn "and Vformation of the cartridge. A spindle of 'somewhat larger diameter within the range given i'nay be n'sed where the resilience of the yarn, as in worsted yarn, is capable of producing a substantial contraction and squeezing in of the superposed layers upon the inner layers and 'upon the inner end portion of the strand.

The ordinary range 'o'f 'yarn sizes of worsted knitting yarns 'is substantially Ibetween '4/4s and 2/'20s. It has been 'found in accordance with the vinvention that yarns of diierent size 'and different plies substantially Within this range may be wound in a cartridge having the dirnension and weight substantially Within the limits above given to .produce compactness or density of the cartridge within the range 9i) to 140. For vthe most part these yarns vmay be wound with a compactness in the preferred range of 1'20 to 130 .to Aform cartridges which are suspensible by the xinternal end o'f the strand. It will be understood that the compactness in a cartridge .required to be wound .with only a relatively -s'hor-t length of the strand to -sui't the particular pattern, if desired, .may be less than that of a cartridge in which the strand .is required to be longer.. With some sizes and types of yarns and depending rsomewhat on the sizes and plies and upon the charac'terof the yar-ns and of the Wool of which they are made, greater or .less compactness or density ymay be used to avoid 4damage to the .yarn due to excessive tension while `at the same time securing the requisite squeezing action These dimensions, however., `:may `be invention that nylon yarn spun from cut staple and plied andtwisted to have many of the characteristics of wool or worsted knitting yarns may be wound in cartridges with a compactness or density substantially within the same range as for worsted knitting yarns, namely, 90 to 140 grains avoirdupois per cubic inch to secure suspensibility. Such nylon yarns generally are made from 3 to 6 denier filament and of 2 to 4 ply. As an example, the following data are given with respect to a 2-ply nylon yarn of cut staple spun from 3 denier iilament, this yarn being equivalent substantially to a 2/9s worsted system.

Cartridge No. Weight Diameter Length Density This cartridge of nylon yarn has a compactness lying in the preferred range between 120 and 130 grains per cubic inch. Nylon yarns suitable for knitting spun from so-called cut staple have bre ends projecting from the strand of the yarn as is the case with worsted yarns. Because of the existence of these bre ends the surface characteristics of the nylon strand are such that a substantial friction and clinging is produced between the layers of the yarn in the cartridge. The contact of these layers upon the inner end portion of the strand may be continued 'during the reduction in the weight of the cartridge and substantially until the strand is fully lunwound when the requisite compactness is provided in accordance with the invention. Ingeneral, the ranges of length, diameter and weight of the cartridge of nylon may be the same 'as with worsted yarns, but variation may be made in such dimensions of the cartridge of worsted, nylon and other yarns depending upon the character of the particular yarn, provided that the compactH twisted together to give strength, resilience and other characteristics of the yarn and the fabric made therefrom. It will be understood that, since the strand in the cartridge extends in helices about the axis of the cartridge, withdrawal of the strand at one end or the other of the cartridge will add to the twist originally given to the yarn or will subtract from this twist, that is, will twist or untwist the plies forming the strand of yarn depending upon the direction of the original twist in the strand, namely, left hand twist or right hand twist. As will be understood by those skilled in the art of winding yarns this maybe accomplished by leaving the inner end of the strand projecting adjacent the tip or adjacent the base of the spindle of the winding machine when the winding is started, having regard to the direction of rotation of this spindle in relation to the direction of the twist in the yarn. By bringing out the end so that the withdrawal of the strand at its inner end from the center of the Zcartridge increases the twist no harm will be done to the yarn because the increase of twist will merely tend to make the cartridge when suspended from the fabricv turn reversely upon its axis as the strand is withdrawn, thereby to ofset the increased twist. Untwisting of the strand on the contrary produces no increased force to turn the cartridge and to restore the initial twist. Such untwisting of the yarn therefore, may be harmful thereto.

While the invention has been described in connection with worsted and nylon yarns, within the scope thereof any yarns suitable for knitting and similar operations may be used which may be wound in a cartridge in the manner described and with the requisite compactness and clinging contact of the superposed layers to secure the suspensibility of the cartridge. All such yarn packages are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package of yarn in the form of a self supporting cartridge in which the yarn as a continuousstrand is wound in a plurality of layers super- .posed one upon the other and upon and in contact with the inner end portion of said strand at the axis of the cartridge, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, the tension of the strand in said cartridge being suilcient to produce a cornpactness in grains per cubic inch substantially in the range between 12D and 130 to effect gripping of said inner end portion along said axis by said superposed layers in the cartridge to make said cartridge self suspending by said projecting inner end throughout a substantial extent of the length of the strand as said inner end is withdrawn from the cartridge.

2. A package of worsted knitting yarn in the form of a cartridge without a supporting member at the axis of the cartridge, the yarn in said cartridge being in a continuous strand wound in a plurality of layers with a substantially uniform lay in the several layers superposed one upon the other and superposed upon and in contact with the inner end portion of said strand along the axis of said cartridge, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, the tension of the strand in said cartridge being sufficient to press the superposed layers upon the underlying layers and upon said inner end portion along the axis of the cartridge and the resilience of the strand in said layers maintaining the pressure upon said inner end portion throughout a substantial extent of the length of the strand as said inner end is withdrawn from the cartridge, said cartridge having a weight not substantially greater than grains.

3L A package of yarn in the form of a self -supporting cartridge in which the yarn as a continuous strand is wound in a: plurality of layers superposed one upon the other and upon and in contact with the inner end portion of said strand, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, said strand being wound in the package to provide a compactness in grains per cubic inch substantridge, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, the length of said cartridge parallel to the axis being substantially in the range between one inch and three inches, the diameter of said cartridge being not substantially greater than inch, the compactness of said cartridge being substantially in the range between 90 and 140 grains per cubic inch.

5. A package of worsted knitting yarn in the form of a cartridge Without a supporting member at the axis of the cartridge as defined in claim 2, the yarn size of said strand being substantially in a range between 4/4s and 2/20s.

6. A package of Worsted knitting yarn in the form of a cartridge without a supporting member at the axis of the cartridge as dened in claim 2, the length of said cartridge being not substantially greater than three inches, the diameter of the cartridge being not substantially greater than inch, the yarn size of said strand being substantially in a range between 4/4s and 2/20s, the compactness of said cartridge being substantially in the range between 90 and 140 grains per cubic inch.

7. A package of yarn in the form of a self supporting cartridge in which the yarn as a continuous strand is Wound in a plurality of layers with a substantially uniform lay in the several layers superposed one upon the other and superposed upon and in contact with the inner end portion of said strand along the axis of the cartridge, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, the tension of said strand in the cartridge being sufficient to compact the superposed layers of the strand to a compactness substantially in the range between 120 and 130 grains per cubic inch to provide pressure of said superposed layers upon each other and upon said inner end portion suilicient to make said cartridge suspensible by said inner end as s aid inner end is withdrawn from the cartridge and to secure substantial resistance to lexure transversely of the axis of the cartridge;

8. A package of yarn in the form of a selfsupporting cartridge as defined in claim l, the strand of said yarn comprising cut staple nylon fibres.

9. A package of yarn in the form of a selfsupporting cartridge in which the yarn as a continuous strand is wound in a plurality of layers superimposed one upon the other and upon and in contact with the inner end portion of said strand, the inner end of said strand projecting from one end of the cartridge at said axis thereof, the length of said cartridge being not substantially greater than three inches, the diameter of the cartridge being not substantially greater than inch, the Weight of the cartridge being substantially in the range between 'grains and grains.

HENRY B. CROSS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,688 Wardwell Feb. 5, 1895 1,592,432 Barry July 13, 1926 2,372,859 Sparks Apr. 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 38,060' Denmark Oct. 7, 1927 

